DELIGHTED!
13th Feb 2014
This year I am reading J B Phillips, The New Testament in Modern English as part of my daily readings. I try each year to pick a different translation or paraphrase because something fresh always jumps from the page.
I was reading Acts 11:23 which gives the account of the reaction Barnabas had when sent to Antioch to see what was going on with the Greeks who were coming to faith in Jesus. “When he arrived and saw the working of God’s grace, he was delighted.”
You may wonder why I was so impacted by the word “delighted”? The background is that there was a great controversy raging at the time as to whether the Gentiles were able to receive the gospel and be saved. It began when Peter preached to Cornelius and his household and the Holy Spirit fell on them all. (Acts 10).
However, the thing that I found myself asking was, “How do I feel when others are blessed, and I don’t think they deserve to be blessed?” There are times when I have been going through a real test of faith, and I discover that someone else has received a miraculous answer to prayer and I am still waiting. Do I feel jealous, or delighted?
There have been times when I hear of a healing miracle happening to someone who seems to be such an inconsistent believer with all kinds of questionable behaviour, while others who are so dedicated are still waiting. Do I feel angry, or delighted?
There have been times when other churches have been going through times of growth and blessing, and I have just heard of people leaving my church. Am I cross that God is blessing them, or delighted?
There is a verse in Psalm 37:4 which says, “Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.” I think there is a key here.
I so admire Barnabas’ ability to rejoice every time he saw God’s grace at work - to be delighted, and that’s the way I want to react.
by Charles Sibthorpe
